Pubdate: Fri, 09 Sep 2005
Source: Similkameen Spotlight (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Similkameen Spotlight
Contact:  http://www.similkameenspotlight.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3484
Author: HP Toews
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

FORGET POT AND TACKLE BOOZE

Editor:

When I read your newspaper last week, I could not help but notice that all 
but one of your news items regarding the courts and police were related to 
alcohol, violence caused by using too much alcohol, accidents as a result 
of alcohol abuse and/or a combination of all three.

In previous issues, the headlines in your paper were dominated by the war 
on marijuana - a plant that when ingested, induces mild euphoria and 
usually triggers a feeling of peace and love. May I also point out that you 
reported zero accidents as a result of using marijuana, otherwise commonly 
known as pot? You also reported no incidents of domestic violence as a 
result of using pot. Could that be because there were none?

In some cases of marijuana overuse, paranoia may result. Overuse of pot has 
been known to make the pothead so careful that accidents could have 
happened as a result of avoiding drivers who have had too much alcohol.

Let me be perfectly clear. Because of health issues, I do not condone the 
use of marijuana. Just like with the legal drug tobacco, inhaled marijuana 
smoke is harmful to the user. Continued use of the chemical THC in pot may 
reduce the user's ability to concentrate, not unlike the Alzheimer's I'm 
beginning to experience - possibly from many years of using the nicotine 
that is contained in tobacco.

My point? The countless millions that we spend fighting the menace known as 
"pot" would be better spent fighting the effects of alcohol misuse.

Let's take this idea one step farther. We could let half the inmates out of 
jail so lawyers could concentrate on more important issues, such as the 
theft of pension funds, and our court cases would once again be manageable 
and half the police force would become redundant.

Who knows, (and this should be dear to some crime experts) with increased 
enforcement available regarding property crime, the police might even 
apprehend people who borrow diamond rings before they have a chance to 
return them. Maybe we could afford government programs to eradicate food 
banks. We could, heaven forbid, also house, clothe and educate those less 
fortunate. In short, we could become a productive and healthy society that 
is not obsessed with punishment.

Oh migawd! What next.... crime columnists without jobs? Wouldn't that be 
counterproductive?

HP Toews

Princeton 
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman